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Svasthya (Samskrit: स्वस्थ्यम्) refers to the concept of well-being and an overall sense of goodness in a human life. Since ages people aspired and strove for a long, satisfying and meaningful life. Well-being (svasthya) and happiness (Ananda) are interwoven concepts in Indian traditions. Needless to say, the nature of well-being and happiness is a matter of debate through the ancient times since their conceptualization and has varied across cultures on a spectrum ranging from hedonic (connected with feeling of pleasure) to transcendent (beyond limits of ordinary experience) viewpoints.<ref name=":0">Salagame, K. K. (2006). HAPPINESS AND WELL -BEING IN INDIAN TRADITION. Psychological Studies.</ref> In common terms, happiness refers to the positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy and well-being refers to how  people evaluate their lives. Philosophers and religious thinkers often define happiness in terms of living a good life, or flourishing, rather than simply as an emotion.<ref>Sundriyal, Ruchi & Kumar, Ravindra. (2014). Happiness and Wellbeing. [https://ijip.in/articles/happiness-and-wellbeing/ International Journal of Indian Psychology]. 1.10.25215/0104.020.</ref> In the western context, well-being is limited to bio-psycho-social aspects of human nature whereas in the Indian traditions the spiritual dimension (consciousness and self) brings about a whole new perspective to this topic.<ref name=":0" />

Svasthya (Samskrit: स्वास्थ्यम्) refers to the concept of well-being and an overall sense of goodness in a human life. Since ages people aspired and strove for a long, satisfying and meaningful life. Well-being (svasthya) and happiness (Ananda) are interwoven concepts in Indian traditions. Today the popular and globally used Bharatiya invocation which embodies the essence of the characteristics of the state of human well-being, is as follows<blockquote>सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः सर्वे सन्तु निरामयाः। सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यन्तु मा कश्चिद्दुःखभाग् भवेत्।।

 

 

Interestingly this invocation is from Puranic sources such as Garuda Purana (most commonly, wrongly mentioned as available in Brhdaranyaka Upanishad) and other sources as noted by Dr. Sampadananda Mishra, and he describes the essence as follows <ref name=":3" /><blockquote>''"This is perhaps the most beautiful verse illustrating the whole idea of ‘well-being of all’ and is enormously quoted in the context of spirituality, dharma, universality, well-being etc".''</blockquote>Needless to say, the nature of well-being and happiness is a matter of debate through the ancient times since their conceptualization and has varied across cultures on a spectrum ranging from hedonic (connected with feeling of pleasure) to transcendent (beyond limits of ordinary experience) viewpoints.<ref name=":0">Salagame, K. K. (2006). HAPPINESS AND WELL -BEING IN INDIAN TRADITION. Psychological Studies.</ref> In common terms, happiness refers to the positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy and well-being refers to how  people evaluate their lives. Philosophers and religious thinkers often define happiness in terms of living a good life, or flourishing, rather than simply as an emotion.<ref>Sundriyal, Ruchi & Kumar, Ravindra. (2014). Happiness and Wellbeing. [https://ijip.in/articles/happiness-and-wellbeing/ International Journal of Indian Psychology]. 1.10.25215/0104.020.</ref> In the western context, well-being is limited to bio-psycho-social aspects of human nature whereas in the Indian traditions the spiritual dimension (consciousness and self) brings about a whole new perspective to this topic.<ref name=":0" />

== परिचयः ॥ Introduction ==

== परिचयः ॥ Introduction ==

Material wealth and affluence, fulfilment of one’s desires, human relationships, development of one’s potentialities and individuality, one’s own psychological state, faith in a religion and spirituality are some of the variables considered as relevant and significant in the context of assessing happiness and well-being. Their importance varies from culture to culture and reflect the socio-cultural differences in the conceptualization of subjective well-being. The [[Indian Concept of Self|Indian concepts of self]] outline how people feel their identities or self-sense are intricately connected with the physical, physiological and mental dimensions and it is human tendency to remain established at that level. However, some persons either spontaneously or through induction from meditation, yoga and such other practices are able to move beyond these sheaths and narrow self-definitions.<ref name=":2">Salagame. K. Kiran Kumar, ''An Indian Conception of Well Being''. In Henry, J. (Ed) [https://www.ipi.org.in/texts/kirankumar/kk-indian-conception-ofwellbeing.php European Positive Psychology Proceedings] 2002. Leicester, UK: British Psychological Society, 2003</ref>

 

 

Material wealth and affluence, fulfilment of one’s desires, human relationships, development of one’s potentialities and individuality, one’s own psychological state, faith in a religion and spirituality are thus, some of the variables, considered as relevant and significant in the context of assessing happiness and well-being. Their importance varies from culture to culture and reflect the socio-cultural differences in the conceptualization of subjective well-being. The [[Indian Concept of Self|Indian concepts of self]] outline how people feel their identities or self-sense are intricately connected with the physical, physiological and mental dimensions and it is human tendency to remain established at that level. However, some persons either spontaneously or through induction from meditation, yoga and such other practices are able to move beyond these sheaths and narrow self-definitions.<ref name=":2">Salagame. K. Kiran Kumar, (2002) ''An Indian Conception of Well Being''. In Henry, J. (Ed) [https://www.ipi.org.in/texts/kirankumar/kk-indian-conception-ofwellbeing.php European Positive Psychology Proceedings] </ref>

Many factors influence our life style and combine to create serious health hazards. The hectic pace of life, environmental factors, and increasing role of greed etc., (arishadvargas) are making people’s lives stressful. There a dire need to study this area and it involves many modern subject areas such as psychology, medicine, sociology, anthropology etc. Awareness, adoption and practice of healthy lifestyle are the keys to our well-being.<ref name=":1">Module 5 - Happiness and Well-being as presented in NIOS Study Material.</ref>

Many factors influence our life style and combine to create serious health hazards. The hectic pace of life, environmental factors, and increasing role of greed etc., (arishadvargas) are making people’s lives stressful. There a dire need to study this area and it involves many modern subject areas such as psychology, medicine, sociology, anthropology etc. Awareness, adoption and practice of healthy lifestyle are the keys to our well-being.<ref name=":1">Module 5 - Happiness and Well-being as presented in NIOS Study Material.</ref>

== Defining Svasthya ==

 

 

 

 

 

 

=== Defining the Context of Svasthya or Well-being ===

The term ‘svasthya’ includes many aspects such as, happiness, energy, leisure, peace with oneself, contentment and sensitivity to environment. Well-being involves not only happiness and pleasure but also experiencing/feeling satisfaction in life, presence of positive feeling or affect (e g. interest, love, surprise, pleasure) and the absence of negative feelings (e.g. anxiety, depression, stress). Well-being is a matter of how one experiences and interprets one’s life conditions. Money, property, power, social standing and prestige provide us with limited sense of well-being. While material prosperity is positively related to self satisfaction to some extent, left unchecked it undermines the well-being of a person.<ref name=":1" />  

The term ‘svasthya’ includes many aspects such as, happiness, energy, leisure, peace with oneself, contentment and sensitivity to environment. Well-being involves not only happiness and pleasure but also experiencing/feeling satisfaction in life, presence of positive feeling or affect (e g. interest, love, surprise, pleasure) and the absence of negative feelings (e.g. anxiety, depression, stress). Well-being is a matter of how one experiences and interprets one’s life conditions. Money, property, power, social standing and prestige provide us with limited sense of well-being. While material prosperity is positively related to self satisfaction to some extent, left unchecked it undermines the well-being of a person.<ref name=":1" />  

Goals of indefinite material prosperity, ignoring the human needs of the surrounding people, developing an attitude of insensitivity due to increasing selfishness only leads to an alienation between people, and thereby societies, to eventually chaos and despair. One should note the interrelationship between the social and behavioral sciences in the well-being of both an individual and the society on the whole. Researchers are presenting new findings that the conceptualization of the nature of happiness and well-being primarily depend on the worldview one holds and this aspect has been uniquely dealt with in the Upanishads and other texts of India.<ref name=":0" />

Goals of indefinite material prosperity, ignoring the human needs of the surrounding people, developing an attitude of insensitivity due to increasing selfishness only leads to an alienation between people, and thereby societies, to eventually chaos and despair. The interrelationship between the social and behavioral sciences have to be accounted for the well-being of both an individual and the society on the whole. Researchers are presenting new findings that the conceptualization of the nature of happiness and well-being primarily depend on the worldview one holds and this aspect has been uniquely dealt with in the Upanishads and other ancient texts of India.<ref name=":0" />

== व्युतपत्तिः ॥ Etymology ==

== Psychological Processes involved in Svasthya ==

The term Svasthya includes स्व (Sva) = self, and स्थ (Stha) = being established. The word svastha in its original meaning refers to being established in one’s Self (Atman) which lead to svasthya, a sense of wellbeing. However, it is also used as a suffix in deha svasthya and manah svasthya, to refer to physical and mental health and wellbeing. Thus it is used as a generic term.<ref name=":2" />

It denotes a desirable state of affairs of the individual that ensures proper development of his potential so that he is able to meet the various demands of his environment, and satisfy his needs in a socially acceptable manner. The technical concept that comes closest to it is that of ''''adjustment'''<nowiki/>'. It implies a continuous process of interaction between the individual and his environment and includes the aspect of maladjustment.  

== Perspectives on Well-being ==

== Role of Worldview in Svasthya ==

Underlying any concept of quality of life and wellbeing is a worldview, which provides a perspective on the nature of man, his place in the universe, and on the nature of the universe. The Vedic and Upanishadic seers emphasized on realizing that which is eternal (nitya) and permanent (satya), rather than going after anything that is momentary (kshanika) and that is liable to undergo decay and destruction (kshara) or impermanent (mithya) in the universe. This was an aspect of the more fundamental quest to know the ultimate truth, by seer and sages of India. They understood and defined the ultimate truth with reference to that which is permanent and everlasting rather than that which is impermanent and transient. They applied this distinction in understanding everything in the universe: physical, biological, psychological, ethical, moral, and so on. They made use of this distinction even to evaluate what is good and not good, what is worthy and unworthy, what is desirable and undesirable, etc. So in defining happiness and wellbeing they applied the same rule.<ref name=":2" />

Underlying any concept of quality of life and wellbeing is a worldview, which provides a perspective on the nature of man, his place in the universe, and on the nature of the universe. The Vedic and Upanishadic seers emphasized on realizing that which is eternal (nitya) and permanent (satya), rather than going after anything that is momentary (kshanika) and that is liable to undergo decay and destruction (kshara) or impermanent (mithya) in the universe. This was an aspect of the more fundamental quest to know the ultimate truth, by seer and sages of India. They understood and defined the ultimate truth with reference to that which is permanent and everlasting rather than that which is impermanent and transient. They applied this distinction in understanding everything in the universe: physical, biological, psychological, ethical, moral, and so on. They made use of this distinction even to evaluate what is good and not good, what is worthy and unworthy, what is desirable and undesirable, etc. So in defining happiness and wellbeing they applied the same rule.<ref name=":2" />